California Attorney General Defends Legal Expenses Amid Bribery Investigation
California Attorney General Rob Bonta addressed the use of nearly $500,000 from his campaign funds on legal services, humorously noting he “heard a gasp” when he saw the final tallies.
In light of a federal bribery investigation, Bonta allocated $468,000 from his 2026 re-election campaign towards legal assistance. During an appearance on KCRA3’s “California Politics 360,” he expressed surprise at the steep costs after journalist Ashley Zabala questioned whether the fees were really that high.
“Yes, the attorneys I represented worked around the clock to be responsive, efficient, and completely transparent with all the information we provided to assist the federal government,” Bonta clarified.
He added, “You may have gasped when you saw the final bill, but the attorneys charged significant fees and committed many hours to ensure we submitted everything the federal government requested.”
The investigation revolves around the January incident involving Oakland businessmen David Trung Duong and Andy Hung Duong. They are facing charges of bribery and making false statements to federal officials, as outlined in a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.
Zabala pressed further about the fees, inquiring about the specific charges from the law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. Bonta remarked that the entire process had been quite rapid, occurring in late summer to early fall of 2024, contributing to the quick billing.
“By looking at the charts and private law firm websites, you can see rates ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 per hour,” he explained. When challenged about the actual costs incurred by his office, Bonta acknowledged, “Yes, these are very high rates. The fees varied based on different attorneys and their roles, but they were in the thousands.”
Interestingly, the Duong brothers have been contributors to Bonta’s campaign, with a record indicating donations of $24,300 toward his re-election bid, and their extended family contributing a total of $155,000.
Before Bonta’s discussion with Zabala, a campaign staff member, Dan Newman, defended the expenses, calling them “entirely appropriate” given the serious charges involved. Meanwhile, Jessica Levinson, a Loyola Law School professor, suggested the only valid reason to use campaign funds would be if the investigation directly related to the contributions from the Duongs.
